The Portland daily press., 1887-12-15
INSTALLATION AT coRnAm.
Rev. G. w. Reynolds, the congrega-
tionaI Church's New Pastor.


A council of Congregational churches as
sembled at Gorham yesterday afternoon to
advise and assist in the installation of Rev.
G. w. Reynolds as pastor of the Congrega-
tional church. The beautiful day brought a
large attendance. The council organized
with Rev. w. ii. Fem, ID. d., as moderator.
and Rev. r. j. Kyle as scribe. Mr.. Reynolds
the candidate, is graduate of Amherst Col
lege, and Yale Theological Seminary, and
comes to Gorham from a successful seven
years pastorate in Usage, Iowa. The candi-
date read an excellent statement of theologi-
cal beliefs and passed the running fire OF
questions from the members with credit. He
showed himself sound in the faith, and Of
decidedly conservative tendencies The
council was satisfied with his examination
and voted to engage in the installation SER
vices in the evening.
A large audience gathered in the evening
to the public services of installation. The
Introductory exercises were conducted by
Rev. Messrs. Perkins, Smith and Palmer.
The Rev. C. III. Daniels of this city preached
the sermon from the text found in Peter 3
s, FINALLY be We all of one mind having COM
passion one of another The sermon illus
trated and enforced the unitylof Christian life
as leading to the Christ spirit of sympathy.
% This spirit is adapted to all conditions OF
human life. 1t is the vital fact in all fellow
ship; the living power in all the contact of
the church with the world, and
of man with his fellowman. (2)
This spirit is family feeling
and truly interprets the fatherhood of God
and the brotherhood of man. The church is
family and has power in union. Divisions
hurt and wound the Fathers heart. 81 This
spirit reveals the nature of true affection in
contrast with perverted affections. Nothing
can check the advance of true sympathy.
Every family and church and individual life
needs the infusion of heart ideas Religion
is not in the perfection of knowledge but in
the perfection of true sympathy a. This
fulness. True sympathy is force in part
nership with Gcd. No force has its full
scope until put to use. So OF Christian
forces. The great cure for sin is q heart OF
love. This is the power to be used by pastor
and people to reD0vate the world.
The prayer of installation was Ioffered by
the moderator, Rev. DR.. Fem. Then fol-
lowed the charge to the Pastor" by the
Rev. l.. Reynolds, OF Yarmouth, an uncle OF
the candidate. This contained wise precepts
concerning the keeping of health and heart.
He urged truthful, powerful, positive,
earnest preaching as against brilliant,
stilted, dead efforts. He reminded the pas
tor that he must live and work under the
overshadowing presence of Christ.
Rev. e. E. Bacon gave the right hand of
fellowship in well chosen words, and was
followed by the Rev. 4. L. Bayley in the adj
dress to the people. He presented his con-
ordinations on having pastor, and with
figure and sharp point illustrated the relation
Of pastor and people, at the same time assur-
ing them that Christ, and not they, was to
be his master, and the same Master called
the people to cooperate.
The closing exercises were conducted by
the Rev. Geo. Lewis of South Berwick, and
the benediction was pronounced by the pas
tor. A large choir furnished excellent music
The church served generous hospitality to
all visitors. This suspicious beginning of
pastorate betokens a bright future for the
church in Gorham.
Thanks are due to the courtesy of the
Portland & Rochester railroad for its special
rates and the special train.